Link-mesh fabric.



Patented June 26. 19w.

W. FUHRMANN.

LINK MESH FABRIC.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I. 1910.

W W m WARREN FUHRIVIANN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

LINK-MESH FABRIC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 26, 1.917..

Application filed March 1, 1916. Serial No. 81,323

1 '0 all whom it may concern Be it .known that 1, Human F UHRMANN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Link-Mesh Fabrics, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction of a fabric that is formed of a set of rings that are inter-connected by a set of links, wherein the links can be partially formed, then each threaded on to a series of the rings, and then the links are closed to secure them to the rings, by means of a simple form of die or bonding member, that will close the rings to form eyes at several portions, by merely pressure in one direction on the outside of the links.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new form of link for such a tabric, in which the radial are first bent to form half circles with the extremities of the arms projecting upward, and thereupon after the rings are placed on these arms, a simple die member is brought to engage the arms and will bend. them inwardly so that each forms a substantially complete circle to inclose one of the rings. By reason of the novel shape of the arms in the blank, a final bending operation to complete the eye or circle, will produce the desired circle or e c. bv sim )1 the a )plication of the closin a :5

die; and without the employment of an interior anvil or shaping member.

In the accompanying drawing, showing one embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a view 011 one face 01": the fabric, and Fig. 2 is a view of the opposite side, all the views showing the parts considerably enlarged. Fig. 3 shows the blank for the link in plan, and Fig. i is an edge view of the same. Fig. 5 shows the bending operation for the link, and Fig. 6 is a similar view of another form of link. Fig. 7 shows the link of Fig. 5 with two rings placed thereon. Fig. 8 is a plan of the parts as shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 shows the forming dies for the first operation, Fig. 11 shows the dies for the final operation, in the act of closing the link, and Fig. 12 is a cross section on the line 12-12 indicated in Fig. 7.

As shown in the drawing the fabric is formed ot a set of rings 12 that are preterably fiat rings. These rings are inter-connected by a set of links 13, in the form of a cross or spider, in the present instance having four arms 14:. These arms are of considerable length relative to their width, and are made converging to the outer ends as indicated in Fig. 3.

The links 13 are first bent by suitable dies so that the inner half of each arm 14 is given a form of a halt circle, the centers of which lie in the plane of the central portion 16 of the blank as indicated in Figs. 5 and 7. This can conveniently be done by providing a die 17 having its top provided with tour semi-circular dernressions 1.8 as indicated in. Fig. 10, and a flat central portion 19. An upper die or punch 20 has :t'onr semi-circular projections 21 and a flat central portion 22, as shown in Fig. 10. A sleeve 23 is provided to slide on the lower die 17, and the punch 20 is suiticiently smaller than the sleeve bore to accommodate the thickness of the arms 1% as shown in Fig. 10. It will. be clearly understood that these three die mcmhere will produce the partly formed link. as shown in Figs. 5 and T with the tour arms 14 extending upward. Then tour of the links 12 are placed on the arms 14, as indicated in Figs. 7 and. To bend down the upstanding arms 14, a die member 2k is provided having four semi-circular depressions 25. The punch or upper die 20 is removed and. the lower die arvanced in the sleeve flush with the top of the sleeve, then the die 2 1 is brought down, after the rings 1.2 have been applied, and the curved faces will engage the extremities of the tour arms 14.. These arms or rings by the curved faces engaging them at their outer portions. will bend iinvardly. If these arms were ct uniform width or were of less width at their inner portions, they would have a tendency to bend at the lower part of the straight portion. But by forming the arms converging to the extremities. the end portions being narrower will tend to bend first, and hence the extremity of the arm will follow the curve 25 from its outer portion inwardly. as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 5, from the upper part downward. This is also indicated in Fig. 11 where the arms are partly curved downward and inward. Therefore, the result of this construction of the arms is that the upper or outer half will be caused.

V to form a half circle, and when the die 2 1 is brought all of the way down each arm 14: will have the extremity brought down adjacent the central portion 16, to form a substantially complete half circle 10 as indicated in Fig. 9. These circles will each inclose the link 12 as shown.

A fabric can thus be produced from a set of these blanks 13, by use of the bending dies, in which each link is connected with four rings, and each ring, except at the margins, is connected by four links. Fig. 1 shows one side of such a fabric, which is the side shown exposed. Fig. 2 shows the opposite side or face, on which the links are bent. But with the fabrics formed as they generally are, much smaller than shown in the drawing, there are usually from six to ten links to the inch, and the two opposite faces of the fabric are very similar in appearance. It will be observed that the flat central portions of all of the links are substantially parallel with the flat links 12, for the reason that the centers of the circular arms lie in this plane.

From Fig. 12 it will be seen that each of the arms 14: where it is first bent or curved at its connection with the center portion, 16, is given a curve in its cross section, that is, is made somewhat cylindrical, with the concave sides of the arms facing the central portion. This is for the purpose of giving the central portion 16 a substantially circular appearance on one face of the fabric, as clearly shown in this and other views. This curving of the arm will also have a strengthening effect where the arms. are joined to the center connecting portion.

It will be understood that by reason of the tapering form of the arms of the spider, the final bending die 2% will produce the curving without the employment of an interior anvil or bending member. If these arms were made straight, and the die 24 employed, the arm 4 when extended inwardly would bend as indicated in Fig. 6, over the center portion, and would not form a complete circle portion from which radiate elongated arms 7 having straight side edges converging in width from the central portion, each arm being bent to form a substantially complete circle beyond and perpendicular to the fiat central portion, the centers of the circles of the arms lying in the plane of said central portion, the circular arms inclosing the rings.-

2. A link for a link mesh fabric, composed. of a sheet-metal spider having a substantially flat central portion from which radiate elongated arms, said arms having straight side edges converging in width from the central portion, each arm being bent to form a substantially complete circle beyond and perpendicular to the flat central portion, the centers of the circles of the arms lying in the plane of said central portion.

3. A link mesh fabrichaving substantially similar faces, composed of a set of rings interconnected by a set of links, the links each 7 being in the form of a sheet-metal spider having a substantially flat central portion from which radiate elongated arms having straight side edges converging in Width from the central portion, each arm being bent to form a substantially complete circle beyond and perpendicular to the flat central portion, and each arm being transversely curved at its portion adjacent the central portion of the link to form a substantially circular central portion.

WARREN FUHRMANN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissionerof Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

